Grapple



June 19, 1945.

D. H. MITCHELL GRAPPLE Filed May 6, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR v0.11. mrcmsu.

A TTOR/VEY June 19, 1945. D. H. MITCHELL 2,378,570

GRAPPLE Filed May 6, 1945 .3 Sheets-Sheet 2 -J Y l fi n j 0. H. MITCHELLBr 30 1 fimwi A T TORNEV June 19, 1945. rrc E 2,378,570

GRAPPLE Filed May 6, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVE'N TOR 0./-/. u/ rcusu,

A TTOR/VEK Patented June 19, 1945 GRAPPLE Donald H. Mitchell, Cranford,N, 1., assign" to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application May 6, 1943, Serial No.485,865

6 Claims. (Cl. 294-110) This invention relates to grapples, and moreparticularly those adapted for transporting heavy cylindrical articles.

Heavy articles without the provision of trunnions or other projectionssuitable for engagement by hoisting means are difficult to transport.

when the grapple or engaging means must depend entirely upon grippingcontact with the outer walls of such articles. Furthermore, thisdifficulty is enhanced by the increase in weight of such articles andthe smoothness of their outer surfaces.

An object of the invention is to provide a grapple which is simple instructure yet highly eflicient for gripping and transporting articleswhich are free of engageable projections.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises a grapplehaving spaced pairs of article engaging elements adapted to be movedinto and held in open position and automatically closed when disposedabout an article, the supporting means for the elements assuringpositive holding engagement of the element with the articles.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of thegrapple shown locked in open position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the grapple shown in closedposition;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the grapple shown in closedposition; I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 44 of Fig. 3:

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3,and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6-8 of Fi 3.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be observed that a support orspreader bar l0, apertured at H for receiving a hook |2 of a hoist orthe like, has pairs of gripping units, indicated generally at H and I5,supported thereby. These units are identical in structure and adescription of one will apply to the other. Identical reference numeralswill also be added to the various elements of each unit.

Considering now the unit l4, it will be observed that pairs of hangersor supporting elements I! and i8 have their upper ends straddling thesupport Ill (Figs. 1 and 2) and secured in place by suitable means suchas welding IS. The elements I1 and I8 are parallel with each other andhave aligned apertures in their lower ends to receive and support ashaft 20 which is held against longitudinal movement by suitable meanssuch as pins 2|. Gripping elements, indicated generally at 23 and 24,have spaced members 25 and 28, respectively, of the contours shown inFigs. '1 and 3. The lower portions of each pair of members 25 and 28 arejoined by arcuate gripping plates 21 and 28, respectively, which are toconform to the contour of an article 30 to be gripped and transported,the article in the present embodiment being cylindrical. The adjacentportions of the members 25 and 26 are also arcuate, as shown, to conformto the article 30 and their gripping plates 21 and 28. The members 25and 26 of each element 23 and 24 are pivotally supported upon a commonshaft 32 and have triangular apertures 33 and 34, respectively, in theirupper portions to receive the shaft 20 and to [provide cooperating camsurfaces 35 and 36, respectively, which are to function with the shaftin controlling the elements 23 and 24.

Means is provided to move the elements 23 and 24 into the open positionshown in Fig. 1. This means includes a single link pivotally connectedat 4| to the element 23 and at 42 to a double link 43. The link 43 ispivotally connected at 44 to the element 24 and extends therebeyond toreceive a pivotal connection 45 with a link 46. The link 46 has itsupper end pivotally connected at 41 to a lever 48, the latter having itsinner end or ends, it being formed of two parts joined by blocks 49,connected to a sleeve bearing member 50 rotatably disposed on the shaft20 between the pairs of elements I1 and I8 (see Fig. 4). The lever 48 ofthe unit I 4 is connected to the lever 48 of the unit l5 by a tubularhandle 52 for simultaneous actuation of both units.

Attention is again drawn to the links 40 and 43, it being apparent thattheir pivots 4| and 44 lie in a common horizontal plane and are atidentical positions in each element. Furthermore, the length of thelinks 4|) and 43 between their respective pivots 4| and 44 and theirconnecting pivot 42 are equal.

Upon considering now the operation of the grapple, let it be assumedthat the elements 23 and 24 of each unit l4 and I5 are in their openpositions as illustrated in Fig, 1. When in this position the pivot 42of the links 40 and 43 is below dead center with the pivots 4| and 44,the links bearing against the upper edges of the gripping plates 21 and28. When in this position as long as theunits are supported by thelifting means, namely the shaft 20 engaging the cam of the shaft and itscam surfaces.

' the hook l2, bar In, the supporting elements I1 and I8 and the shaft20 are lowered sufliciently to move the shaft 20 away from the camsurfaces and 36, the elements of their own weight will move about theirpivot 42 so that the lower gripping portions of the elements may moveinto engagement with the article. Through this action it is apparentthat the grapple, when lowered over an article, is automaticallyunlocked and ready to grip the article. Furthermore, the grapple will beautomatically closed about the article through the raising of thelifting means, causing the shaft 20 to engage the cam surfaces 35 and36, forcing the lower portions of the elements about the article.Furthermore, the rounded lower ends of the elements, particularly themembers 25 and 26 of each unit, find their way beneath the articleduring relative movement The weight of the article assists in the stronggripping connection between the elements and the article, adding itsweight to that of the elements in causing relative rotation of theelements about the shaft 32 through the downward sliding movement of thecam surfaces relative to the shaft 20.

When the article has been gripped and raised above the supportingsurface, the units are locked in the gripping position through the shaft20 and the cam surfaces, and it is impossible for the article to beaccidentally disengaged from the grapple during its transportation fromone position to another. Furthermore, itis not possible to release thegrapple from the article until the article is lowered upon a support oruntil the units with the article rest upon a support and the liftingmeans is lowered sufliciently to move the shaft 20 downwardly for thefree movement of the elements about their pivot 42. When in thisposition, through the aid of the handle 52 and the connecting links 46of each unit, the links and 43 may be moved from the position shown inFig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 1, where the pivot 42 is movedbeyond dead center about its associated pivots 4| and 44 and moved intolocking engagement with the gripping plates 21 and 2B.

Although specific improvements of the invention have been'shown anddescribed, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and thatvarious modifications may be made therein without departing from thescope and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A grapple for use in transporting articles comprising companionelements with lower gripping portions formed to partially conform to anindividual cylindrical article, and transverse surfaces of the upperportions thereof, means to pivotally connect the elements togetherintermediate the said portions, a lifting member for the elements, anactuating member carried by the lifting member and positioned to engagethe transverse surfaces and be moved relative thereto to cause movementof the elements into closed positions about their pivotal connection tomove the lower portions into gripping engagement with the article, alever pivotally supported by the actuating member, and means pivotallyconnected to the lever and actuatble thereby to move the elements intoop en positions to free the article and to lock the elements in theiropen positions.

2. A grapple for use in transporting articles comprising companionelements with lower gripping portions formed to partially conform to anarticle, and transversely extending cam surfaces of the upper portionsthereof, means to pivotally connect the elements together intermediatethe said portions, a lifting member for the elements, a shaft carried bythe lifting member and positioned in engagement with the cam surfaces tobe moved relative thereto to cause movement of the elements into closedpositions about their pivotal connection to move the lower portions intogripping engagement with the article, a lever pivotally supported by theshaft, and means pivotally connected to the lever and actuable therebyto move the elements into open positions to free the article and to lockthe elements in their open positions.

3. A grapple for use in transporting articles comprising companionelements with lower gripping portions formed to partially conform to anarticle, and transversely extending cam surfaces of the upper portionsthereof, means to pivotally connect the elements together intermediatethe said portions, a lifting member for the elements, a shaft carried bythe lifting member and positioned in engagement with the cam surfaces tobe moved relative thereto to cause movement of the elements into closedpositions about their pivotal connection to move the lower portions intogripping engagement with the article, a

lever pivotally supported by the shaft, companion links pivotallyconnected to each other and to their respective elements, and meansoperatively connecting the links with the lever for actuation thereof bythe lever to move the elements into open positions to free the article.

4. A grapple for use in transporting elongate articles comprisinglifting means including a spreader bar and a rod carried thereby, unitsdisposed at spaced positions relative to each other and the rod and eachincluding companion elements pivotally connected intermediate theirends, their lower ends formed to grip an elongate article therebetween,while their upper ends have transversely extending surfaces resting uponthe rod and providing the only connection between the lifting means andthe units, relative movement of the rod and cam surfaces caused byupward movement of the lifting means causing closing of the elements ofthe units about spaced portions of the elements, levers pivotallycarried by the rod, and means actuable by movement of the levers to movethe elements of the units into their open positions.

5. A grapple for use in transporting elongate articles comprisinglifting means including a spreader bar and a rod carried thereby, unitsdisposed at spaced positions relative to each other and the rod and eachincluding companion elements pivotally connected intermediate theirends, their lower ends formed to grip an elongate article therebetween,while their upper ends have transversely extending surfaces resting uponthe rod and providing the only connection between the lifting means andthe units, relative movement of the rod and cam surfaces caused byupward movement of the lifting means causing closing of the elements ofthe units about spaced portions of the elements, levers pivotallycarried by the rod, and means actuable by movement of the levers to movethe elements of the units into spreader bar and a rod carried thereby,units dis-- posed at spaced positions relative to each other and the rodand each including companion elements pivotally connected intermediatetheir ends, their lower ends formed to grip an elongate the liftingmeans and the units, relative movement of the rod and cam surfacescaused by upward movement of the lifting means causing closing of theelements of the units about spaced portions of the elements, leverspivotally carried by the rod, means actuable by movement of the leversto move the elements of the units into their open positions, and meansto operatively connect the levers for simultaneous actuation articletherebetween, while their upper ends have 10 thereof.

transversely extending surfaces resting upon the rod and providing theonly connection between DONALD H. MITCHELL.

